By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Romeo “Jako” Jakosalem has been knocked out in the fourth round of another predictable mismatch against South African lightweight champion Patrick “Hammer” Malinga at the NASREC Indoor Arena in Johannesburg.
Well-known South African boxing writer Ron Jackson described the scheduled ten round bout as one that “lacked boxing skills as both fighters came out throwing wild punches from the first bell” in a bout that developed into a slugfest which we had predicted was a dangerous fight for the over-matched Jakosalem.
The 31 year old Malinga was very tight and only intent on knocking out Jakosalem and paid the price when he was caught with a right to the head that sent him crashing to the canvas as he came forward swinging in the second round.
Malinga beat the count and then caught Jakosalem with a flurry of punches and dropped the Filipino just before the end of the round.
Both fighters continued to slug it out in round three but Jackson said the Filipino was “just not big enough and strong enough to keep the South African at bay” and in the fourth round after another barrage of punches to the head capped by a solid left hook, Malinga sent the exhausted Jakosalem to the canvas in the corner where referee Sazi Xamiashe counted him out at 1:25 into the round.
Super Sport reported that Malinga “won just about every minute of the fight” with the exception of the knockdown. The report said “long before he (Jakosalem) was counted out, it was clear that he was not going to overstay his welcome.”
Jakosalem reportedly needed medical attention before leaving the ring.
A solid jab by Malinga within the opening minute set the scene and from then on Malinga hit Jakosalem with just about every punch in the book.” It was Malinga’s seventh stoppage win in his last eight fights. Super Sport added that Jakosalem “clearly lacked the ability to give Malinga a good workout.”
Malinga improved to 23-6-2 with 20 knockouts while Jakosalem dropped to 9-3 with 4 knockouts.
